Hunters set goal to be a consistent Hostplus Cup side in 2025 season

PNG Hunters chief executive officer Scott Barker says their goal this season is to maintain high-level competition throughout the 2025 Hostplus Cup roster.

Barker said they want to ensure the players are stacked to compete and maintain the similar energy from last year where Hunters displayed a vigorous campaign to finish in top-4.  

“To once again be a consistently competitive team in the Queensland Cup in every game we play,” Barker told NBC News when asked of Hunters overall goal for 2025 window.

The Hunters will host 10 games in Port Moresby and play 10 away fixtures with 3 byes scheduled in the draw.  

With the Queensland Rugby League competition nearing 2025 season kickoff, the Hunters are hurdles-high running into second phase of preseason.

Barker said they expect the training squad to be fully geared for the season opener, which should set the tone for the rest of the playing-calendar.   

“We expect the team to work as hard as they can, just as they did in block one to set us up for a good start to the season,” the Hunters CEO said.

The wider squad under the scrutiny of coaching staff led by Paul Aiton with the assistance of Enock Maki and Wartovo Puara Jr, started the second training block this week at the Sir Hubert Murray stadium after the festive season break.

The second period training is crucial to determine who makes the final cut for Hunters crusade in the 2025 Hostplus Cup.

Meanwhile, Barker revealed that Hunters plan to have 3 trial matches before the start of the season to test the depth of preparation and select the final team.

He said the final squad will be announced during Hunters official launch which will be before round 1 starts on March 8.